The World-Eater's Eyrie
Location	Skuldafn
Prerequisite	The Fallen
Next Quest	Sovngarde
Reward	Progress in storyline Nahkriin Storm Call (shout, one word)
Type	Main Quest

Background

The captured dragon Odahviing has revealed that Alduin has escaped to Sovngarde, the Nord underworld, where he feeds on the souls of the dead. His portal to Sovngarde is located in the ancient dragon temple of Skuldafn, high in the Jerall Mountains. The only way to reach it is to set Odahviing free so he can fly the Dragonborn there.

Walkthrough

Freeing Odahviing

The only way to reach Sovngarde's portal is to fly on Odahviing. Freeing him can be done by talking to the guard, located on the second floor. The trap can also be released by pulling the chain. Odahviing will then propose to carry the Dragonborn to the Jerall Mountains.

Skuldafn Temple's Courtyard

As soon as the Dragonborn arrives to Skuldafn, it is likely for him to encounter a Dragon. Draugrs will also be guarding the temple and must be dealt with -or sneaked past. Another dragon will be waiting further ahead. A treasure chest is located to the left side of the Temple's entrance.

It should be noted that there is only one fixed Dragon (Fire) encounter here. The other Dragon battle outside is a random encounter and may not be present in every play-through. There are also two optional areas (Skuldafn South Tower and Skuldafn North Tower). These contain random treasures as well as Draugr enemies to fight.

Skuldafn Temple

First Puzzle Room: This puzzle is made of three pillars of three sides each: the first depicting a Bird, the second a Snake, and the third a Whale. Two different combinations open each a different gate. The gate to the right contains a treasure chest, the one to the left opens the way to the rest of the temple. When looking at the puzzle from the lever, the left pillar's wall-facing side should depict a snake (facing the matching plate on the wall), the right pillar should have a whale facing the other wall with the matching plate. The center pillar dictates which gate opens. You must close the right gate before you can open the left gate. The bird opens the right gate, while the snake opens the left gate. Standing at the lever facing the pillars, this is what should be seen:
[Bird] [Bird] [Bird] - Opens Right Side Gate
[Bird] [Snake] [Bird] - Opens Left Side Gate

Second Puzzle Room: The correct symbols are above the alcoves where the pillars are located; the one in front of the door you enter the second up the stairs to the right and lastly the third across the walkway to the left. The pillar located immediately in front of the door should be set to Snake, the pillar to the right set to Bird, and the one to the left should be set to Whale. The puzzle can be bypassed by using the Whirlwind Sprint shout while on the platform near the lever, or by simply jumping across.

Third Puzzle Room: In a hallway, the Dragonborn will have to face a leveled Draugr or Dragon Priest . The Diamond Claw should be looted from his dead body. Like all the dragon claws, the puzzle door's key is found on the claw's palm. It is, from the top to the bottom: [Fox]-[Moth]-[Dragon].
The Storm Call word is located on a Word Wall after opening the door. You can never return to Skuldafn so it is strongly advised to not miss this Word of Power.

Entering Sovngarde

On the roof of Skuldafn Temple, there is one Elder Dragon and one leveled dragon on each side of the portal, as well as four Restless Draugr. By luring the Deathlords close to the edge of the roof, it is possible to knock them off with Unrelenting Force. If you're quick, you can run around them while you wait for the shout to recharge and throw them all off one or two at a time. The Dragons will remain neutral unless provoked with dragonrend, an arrow, or transforming into a werewolf. A Dragon Priest is found just ahead of the Dragons' pillars. The priest’s name is Nahkriin, and his staff is the key to going to Sovngarde. After killing him, his Dragon Priest Staff can be looted off his body. This is also the only opportunity to grab his mask. To enter Sovngarde, his staff must be used on the altar, before jumping into the portal.

Tactics to defeat Nahkriin

Nahkriin can be a bit difficult, if not tricky, for lower leveled characters, especially those who are not resilient to frost damage. Nahkriin relies heavily on ranged attacks and will, at all times, keep his distance. In some cases, he will also cast a cloak spell and conjure a frost atronach before the fight, as a form of defense against melee-oriented characters, which means that attacks should be carefully planned. He may also cast Ice Spike, slowing the Dragonborn drastically for a short period of time, leaving him more vulnerable to attacks. Like every other Dragon Priest, Nahkriin wields a high-leveled staff, and having a good amount of healing potions might be necessary for this fight, and later on for Sovngarde. A few methods can be used to make the fight easier:

• The Shadow Stone can be used to turn invisible, allowing the Dragonborn to sprint into the portal before it is closed without confronting Nahkriin. An invisibility potion can also be used, or the Whirlwind Sprint shout to get into the portal past Nahkriin. This will make Nahkriin's Dragon Priest Mask unobtainable.
• Because Nahkriin will never confront the player in melee range, he can be killed by hiding behind the pillar, near the edge of the large stairs. Nahkriin will only attack when the Dragonborn gets out of his cover. A bow can then be used to slowly decrease his health, hiding behind the pillar after every few shots.
• Nahkriin can also be lured over the edge, and charged with a melee attack, causing him to fall off the edge and die. Shouts can be also be used, such as Fire Breath.
• It is possible to keep the Dragon Priest Staff by hitting him hard so that his health is low, then waiting until he has just picked up the staff to finish him off. The portal will stay open for about 20 seconds or less, giving the player enough time to loot him and jump in the portal before it closes.
• Nahkriin can also be sneak killed. A high Sneak level is necessary, and muffling boots are recommended. Nahkriin will appear facing the portal to Sovngarde, but if he should not notice the player, allowing him for a sneak attack. It is advised to have either the Backstab, Assassin's Blade perk, or a high Archery level with a high damaging bow.
• Attacking with quick magic attacks, such as firebolt work well, then switching to melee force him to move therefore lowering the chance of a hit from his attack. then close the distance and use power attacks to stagger him, shouts help as well
• Finally, there is a way to come up to Nahkriin and he will not be hostile, even if attacked. When coming out of Skuldafn Temple to Skuldafn there is a wooden bridge directly outside, if the player heads to the right and climbs the rocks, it is possible to come out at the side of Nahkriin without making him hostile. With 100 sneak it will still show that you have been detected but Nahkriin will not attack, even if you attack him, making him easy to pick off with a bow. Using this method it is not possible to get the staff however, as it will already be in place with the portal open.

Bugs

•  360   PS3   It is possible for the first Skuldafn puzzle room to glitch, not allowing the middle pillar to rotate at all and thus not allowing the player to open the door and continue. Reloading from a save outside the temple appears to fix this. It may be possible to load a save from inside the temple, before solving the puzzle, as long as you solve the puzzle to open the left-hand door (leaving the chest).
•  PC   360   PS3   The puzzle with the Diamond Claw won't open even after inserting the right sequence. Reloading to a save or leaving the temple and reentering the sequence may fix this. Another possible fix is to enter the correct sequence, try the claw, turn all three rings once, try the claw, and continue until the correct sequence is reached again. Also, it is possible that the rings may not turn at all, leaving through the last autosave door and returning may fix this.
• If Odahviing is attacked when he is captured, without having talked to him, he will attack the Dragonborn when he is released. Reloading and capturing him again will fix the bug.
• If Odahviing's health is depleted before he is trapped, he will stand in a place for a moment, regenerate his health to full points and attack the player again. It is not possible to kill him.
• If Nahkriin is charged and attacked before he touches his staff, it is possible to knock him around so he can't touch the staff and he will stay passive.
• If the Dragonborn dies after riding Odahviing, he will appear near a river below Dragon's Reach, but he is unreachable. If the game has been saved before riding him, then the player will not be able to talk to him or move. This bug has yet to been fixed.
• If the dragon priest is killed before he grabs the staff, the seal may never be activated.
•  PC   360   PS3   The last two dragons may become stuck in a loop if Dragonrend is used on either of them after killing the dragon priest.
•  PC   360   PS3   On the roof of the Skuldafn Temple there is a pillar that does not touch the ground in the center of the back wall, this is not significant in any way other than the fact that its a bug. It does not affect the player, enemies or quest in any way.